1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector used for fitting thereto a plate-like electronic module such as a memory module and mounting it on a mother board and, more particularly, to a connector having a structure suitable for cooling the electronic module fitted to the connector.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A plate-like electronic module comprises a card-like substrate, electronic chips, such as memory chips, mounted on both top and bottom surfaces of the substrate, and conductive pads formed at an end portion of the substrate and connected with the electronic chips. The plate-like electronic module is fitted to a connector for mounting on a mother board in position.
The connector comprises a housing having a main body mounting thereon contacts to be connected with the conductive pads on the electronic module and a pair of arms extending from both sides of the main body and holding both lateral ends of the electronic module.
When the electronic module is fitted to the connector, the front end of the electronic module is held by the main body and the both lateral ends of the same is held by the pair of arms. When the connector is mounted on the mother board, the electronic chips mounted on the top surface of the electronic module opens upward but the electronic chips mounted on the bottom surface of the electronic module confront the mother board with a little space therebeween.
In recent years, with development of high performance notebook-sized personal computers, tendency has been for an electronic module having high performance electronic chips on board to be placed on the mother board in the notebook-sized personal computer. The high performance electronic chips are prone to generate heat, so the notebook-sized personal computer employs the structure in which an airflow is produced in its case to cool the electronic chips and the like housed therein. The electronic module fitted to the connector is surrounded by the housing having the main body and the arms on three sides of the front end and both lateral ends. Thus, the current of air is hindered from flowing through between the bottom surface of the electronic module and the mother board, in particular, thus providing the problem of insufficient cooling of the bottom of the electronic module.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the invention to provide a novel connector having the structure that can permit an efficient cooling of an electronic module fitted to the connector by an airflow passing through it.
It is a secondary object of the invention to provide a novel connector having the structure that can permit an efficient cooling of an electronic module fitted to the connector by ventilation means set in place of the housing.
It is a tertiary object of the invention to provide a novel connector having the structure that can produce an airflow flowing over a plate-like electronic module fitted to the connector, particularly flowing along a short side direction of the plate-like electronic module.
It is a fourth object of the invention to provide a novel connector having the structure that can produce an airflow flowing over the plate-like electronic module fitted to the connector, particularly flowing along a long side direction of the plate-like electronic module.
It is a fifth object of the invention to provide a cooling method that can permit an efficient cooling of the electronic module fitted to the connector.
A first aspect of the invention to accomplish the primary object provides a connector fittable with an electronic module, the connector comprising a housing means to hold the electronic module and a ventilation means, arranged with respect to the housing means, to permit air to pass along the electronic module.
This produces the result that when the connector fitted with the electronic module is mounted on the mother board, air is permitted to pass through along the electronic module, passing through the ventilation means arranged with respect to the housing means.
A second aspect of the invention to accomplish the secondary object provides a connector fittable with an electronic module, the connector comprising a housing means having a main body mounting thereon contacts to be connected with conductive pads provided at a front end of the electronic module and a pair of arms, projected from opposite ends of the main body, to hold the electronic module at opposite end portions thereof; and a first ventilation means provided at the main body or at least one of a pair of second ventilation means provided at the pair of arms, respectively.
This produces the result that when the connector fitted with the electronic module is mounted on the mother board, air is permitted to pass through the bottom surface of the electronic module toward the first ventilation means or at least one of the second ventilation means.
It is preferable that a rectifying means which has an opening to take in air and on which an end of the electronic module at the side opposite the fitting side of the same is rested is mounted to the ends of the pair of arms.
It is preferable that a supporting means on which an end of the electronic module at the side opposite the fitting side of the same is rested is mounted to the ends of the pair of arms. Preferably, the second ventilation means has a configuration to extend in opening toward outside.
A third aspect of the invention to accomplish the tertiary object provides a connector fittable with a plate-like electronic module, the connector comprising a housing means having a main body mounting thereon contacts to be connected with conductive pads provided at a front end of the electronic module and a pair of arms, projected from opposite ends of the main body, to hold the electronic module at opposite end portions thereof; a ventilation means provided at the main body; and wall means provided at the pair of arms, respectively.
This produces the result that when the connector fitted with the electronic module is mounted on the mother board, both lateral sides thereof are closed by the wall means provided at the pair of arms, respectively, so that air flows toward the ventilation means provided at the main body. This permits air to pass through in a short side direction of the plate-like electronic module to achieve the cooling of the electronic chips aligned in a row in the longitudinal direction.
It is preferable that when air is commonly flown over the plurality of connectors, the wall members are attached to the front and rear attachment portions of the pair of arms. Also, it is preferable that the arms are interconnected by the front and rear engaging portions of the pair of arms. Preferably, an upper plate is attached for a topside space that appears when two or more adjacent connectors are coupled with each other. Further, it is preferable that a rectifying means which has an opening to take in air and on which an end of the electronic module at the side opposite the fitting side of the same is rested is mounted on the pair of arms at the ends thereof.
In the case where air flows toward the ventilation means provided under the main body, it is preferable that the contacts are streamlined in section and/or closure means are provided for closing space between the front contacts and the rear contacts, in order to facilitate the stream of air between the downward extending contacts. To prevent the collecting of air-borne dust at the contacts, shielding means or dustproof means are preferably provided for the contacts. Preferably, the dustproof means is a partition means to permit separation between adjacent contacts with respect to each of the front contacts and rear contacts.
A fourth aspect of the invention to accomplish the fourth object provides a connector fittable with a plate-like electronic module, the connector comprising a housing means having a main body mounting thereon contacts to be connected with conductive pads provided at a front end of the electronic module and a pair of arms, projected from opposite ends of the main body, to hold the electronic module at opposite end portions thereof; a pair of ventilation means provided at the pair of arms, respectively; and wall means provided at the main body.
This produces the result that when the connector fitted with the electronic module is mounted on the mother board, one lateral side thereof is closed by the wall means provided at the main body, so that air flows toward the ventilation means provided at the pair of arms. This permits air to pass through the plate-like electronic module in a long side direction thereof to achieve the cooling of the electronic chips aligned in a row in the longitudinal direction in a sequential order.
In order to facilitate the stream of air, the ventilation means preferably has a configuration to extend in opening toward outside. It is preferable that there is provided a wall member to interconnect ends of the pair of arms. Also, it is preferable that at least one of air suction means and air blowing means is adapted to be connectable with the ventilation means.
A fifth aspect of the invention to accomplish the fifth object provides a method for cooling an electronic module fitted to a connector, wherein a ventilation means is provided in a housing means to hold the electronic module and at least one of air suction means and air blowing means is set with respect to the ventilation means, so that an airflow passing through the connector can be produced over the electronic module fitted to said connector.
According to this method, the electronic module fitted to the connector is cooled efficiently by combination of the connector having the ventilation means with at least one of the air suction means and the air blowing means.
Other and further objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.